By Simeon Shodimu
Concerns have been raised over the declining state of cassava production in Nigeria with the warning that poor funding can undermine one of the country’s most critical food and industrial crops.
Participants expressed concerns during a large-scale training of farmers in Oyo State, where participants lamented that Nigeria is losing millions of naira yearly, owing to falling cassava yields and reduced productivity across farming communities.
The training brought together over 6,000 farmers, featured sessions and facility tours at the Fashola Agribusiness Hub and Iseyin, focusing on practical solutions to boost cassava production and improve value chain efficiency.
At the event participants identified key challenges confronting farmers, including poor access to pest control systems, lack of modern farm management skills, inadequate extension services, and the growing impact of climate change.
They noted that these constraints have forced several farmers to abandon their plantations, further worsening the production gap.
They also criticised the inconsistent implementation of agricultural policies, stressing that existing frameworks, if properly enforced, could have mitigated the current decline in cassava output.
The programme was coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), in collaboration with the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia State, with support from a German development foundation.
The Project Coordinator of AATF, Samuel Ogunleye, speaking at the event said the initiative was designed to equip farmers with modern techniques to improve productivity and enhance market access.
“the programme targets farmers across the 33 local councils of Oyo State and has already recorded significant participation in Ido, Ibarapa, and Iseyin zones.
“We are training farmers on improved agronomic practices, as well as how to process and market their products using modern technology,” he said, adding that the availability of a cassava processing facility in Iseyin would help reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmers’ income”.He said
Stakeholders at the forum also called for stronger collaboration with the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to drive innovation, improve access to inputs, and strengthen the cassava value chain.
They said that except urgent and coordinated interventions, Nigeria risks losing its competitive advantage in cassava production, with far-reaching implications for food security, employment, and economic stability.
